Explains It All
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Explains It All
| type = Studio
| artist = Four Year Strong
| cover = Four Year Strong-Explains it All Cover.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2009|07|21}}
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Melodic hardcore, pop punk
| length = 33:22
| label = I Surrender, Decaydance
| producer = Machine
| prev_title = Rise or Die Trying
| prev_year = 2007
| next_title = Enemy of the World
| next_year = 2010
}}
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web |first=Andrew |last=Leahey |title=Review: Explains It All |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1600139|pure_url=yes}} |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=24 February 2010}}
| rev2 = Alternative Press
| rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=http://altpress.com/reviews/explainsitall.htm|title=Reviews|work=Alternative Press|accessdate=13 May 2015}}
| rev3 = Punknews.org
| rev3Score = {{rating|1.5|5}}[https://www.punknews.org/review/8679/four-year-strong-explains-it-all Punknews.org review]
| rev4 = Ultimate Guitar
| rev4Score = 8/10{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/four_year_strong/explains_it_all/index.html|title=Explains It All {{!}} Four Year Strong {{!}} Compact Discs {{!}} Reviews|work=Ultimate Guitar|author=UG Team|date=September 2, 2009|accessdate=December 22, 2016}}
}}
Explains It All is the third studio album by American rock band Four Year Strong. It is a cover album and acts as a tribute to the band's influences from the 1990s. It features a guest appearance from Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die, among others. The album was released July 21, 2009 through I Surrender Records/Decaydance Records.[http://altpress.com/news/fys90stracklisting.htm "Four Year Strong Track Listing"]. Alternative Press website. Retrieved on June 9, 2009. By October 2009, the album's sales stood at 10,000.Bell; Harding 2009, p. 57
Release
On May 20, 2009, Explains It All was announced for release in two months' time.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/33628/four-year-strong-plan-90s-covers-album-explains-it-all|title=Four Year Strong plan 90s covers album, 'Explains It All'|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=May 20, 2009|access-date=October 8, 2022}} On June 3, 2009, the album's track listing was posted online.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/33814/four-year-strong-detail-90s-cover-album-explains-it-all|title=Four Year Strong detail 90s cover album 'Explains It All'|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=June 3, 2009|access-date=October 8, 2022}} On July 8, 2009, "Semi-Charmed Life" was posted on the and's Myspace profile.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/34299/media-four-year-strong-semi-charmed-life-third-eye-blind|title=Four Year Strong: 'Semi-Charmed Life (Third Eye Blind)'|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=July 8, 2009|access-date=October 10, 2022}} In July and August 2009, the band went on a co-headlining US tour with Set Your Goals; main support came from Fireworks, while the Swellers, Grave Maker, Drive A and A Loss for Words appeared on select shows.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/33625/tours-set-your-goals-four-year-strong-fireworks-with-polar-bear-club-the-swellers|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803222023/https://www.punknews.org/article/33625/tours-set-your-goals-four-year-strong-fireworks-with-polar-bear-club-the-swellers|title=Set Your Goals / Four Year Strong / Fireworks with Polar Bear Club, the Swellers|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=May 20, 2009|archivedate=August 3, 2017|access-date=October 8, 2022}} Following this, they went on an East Coast tour with Fireworks, Crime in Stereo and A Loss for Words.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/33736/tours-four-year-strong-crime-in-stereo-fireworks-a-loss-for-words|title=Four Year Strong / Crime in Stereo / Fireworks / A Loss for Words|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=May 28, 2009|access-date=October 8, 2022}} In October and November, the band toured Europe as part of The Eastpak Antidote Tour.{{cite web|url=https://www.ox-fanzine.de/grosse-verlosung-zur-eastpak-antidote-tour-mit-anti-flag|title=Big raffle for the Eastpak Antidote Tour with Anti-Flag|work=Ox-Fanzine|date=September 10, 2009|accessdate=June 18, 2020|language=DE}} It was re-pressed on vinyl in June 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.deadpress.co.uk/news-four-year-strong-announce-vinyl-reissue-of-explains-it-all/|title=NEWS: Four Year Strong announce vinyl reissue of 'Explains It All'!|work=Dead Press!|author=Oliver, Maax|date=April 21, 2016|accessdate=June 18, 2020}}
There are multiple versions of this album, with notable differences being the arrangement of the "Fly" cover by featuring Travis McCoy, and the "Spider Webs" cover, which fades out on one version and does a straight cut on another.
Track listing
{{track listing
| extra_column = Original artist (year)
| title1 = So Much for the Afterglow
| extra1 = Everclear (1997)
| length1 = 2:50
| title2 = Absolutely (Story of a Girl)
| extra2 = Nine Days (2000)
| length2 = 2:55
| title3 = Ironic
| extra3 = Alanis Morissette (1996)
| length3 = 2:48
| title4 = Bullet with Butterfly Wings
| note4 = featuring Keith Buckley
| extra4 = The Smashing Pumpkins (1995)
| length4 = 3:04
| title5 = Semi-Charmed Life
| extra5 = Third Eye Blind (1997)
| length5 = 3:29
| title6 = Spiderwebs/This Love
| extra6 = No Doubt/Pantera (1995)/(1992)
| length6 = 3:03
| title7 = Roll to Me
| extra7 = Del Amitri (1995)
| length7 = 2:26
| title8 = Fly
| note8 = featuring Travie McCoy
| extra8 = Sugar Ray (1997)
| length8 = 3:48
| title9 = In Bloom
| extra9 = Nirvana (1991)
| length9 = 3:34
| title10 = She Really Loved You
| note10 = featuring Peter "JR" Wasilewski & Buddy "Goldfinger" Schaub
| extra10 = Reach the Sky (1999)
| length10 = 2:00
| title11 = She's So High
| extra11 = Tal Bachman (1999)
}}
Notes
The end of the song, "Spiderwebs" is taken from the song, "This Love" by Pantera.
References
; Citations
{{reflist}}
;Sources
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite magazine|last1=Bell|first1=Crystal|last2=Harding|first2=Cortney|title=Dance of Days|magazine=Billboard|date=October 10, 2009|volume=121|issue=39|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|issn=0006-2510}}
{{refend}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5xmKPoiUnF-vc6-hFUH_QPw_gf-Jbuw_ Explains It All] at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)
- {{YouTube|fSlGFnFxGF4|Four Year Strong - Explains It All (the documentary)}}
{{Four Year Strong}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Four Year Strong albums